Pecologix Political Ecology Blotter

Almost 80 percent of current farmland in the U.S. would have to be devoted to raising corn for ethanol production in order to meet current biofuel production targets with existing technology, a new study has found. An alternative, according to a study in ACS’ journal Environmental Science & Technology, would be to convert 60 percent [...]

Microscopic algae occupies every photic niche on Earth and provides an efficient and inherently scalable sunlight energy capture and chemical storage mechanism. However, fuel production from algae remains outside economic viability due to limitations in biomass cultivation and feedstock extraction. In particular, extraction strategies require prohibitive energy inputs to breach the cell wall and separate [...]

In the past, deforestation, mainly driven by the conversion of natural forests to agricultural land, contributed up to one-fifth of global human induced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Substitution of bioenergy for fossil energy is an intensely discussed option for mitigating CO2 emissions. This paper, by applying a global land-use model and a global energy–economy–climate model, [...]

Regional supplies of biomass are currently being evaluated as feedstocks in energy applications to meet renewable portfolio (RPS) and low carbon fuel standards. We investigate the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and associated abatement costs resulting from using densified switchgrass for thermal and electrical energy. In contrast to the large and positive abatement costs [...]

In Washington, the EPA has published a proposed direct final rule allowing camelina as a feedstock for advanced biofuels.The rule describes EPA’s evaluation of biofuels produced from camelina oil, energy cane, giant reed, and napiergrass; it also includes an evaluation of renewable gasoline and renewable gasoline blendstocks, as well as biodiesel from esterification, and clarifies [...]

Biofuels Digest senior editor Meghan Sapp, in her other role as Secretary-General of the Europe-based PANGEA (Partners for Euro-African Green Energy), released her organization’s breakthrough report on biofuels and land grabbing in Sub-Saharan Africa, “Land Grab Refocus 2011.” Full Report (pdf)

In 2008, sugarbeets and sugarcane were both classified as advanced biofuel feedstock. However, in 2009 sugarbeets were not listed in the new Renewable Fuel Standard, he said.So the beet team members at NDSU and Green Vision Group have applied for this classification from the Environmental Protection Agency and to request a loan as an advanced [...]